It’s been 8 days since Ruby came to live with me and Able. This is my second time adopting an adult dog, and I think it takes a bit longer to build a relationship. My Christmas break has not been full of sunshine and strawberries, either in the literal sense or in terms of Ruby fitting into the household … but as the cheese ad says, good things take time!
Exploring the World
Ruby is much more confidnet than Rik was when she came off the farm. I was expecting that she would need careful introduction to the big wide world of being a townie dog, but she hasn’t been bothered by anything she’s seen or heard, from the dishwasher to supermarket trolleys, the fire siren to a screaming baby in a pram.
She has met four unfamiliar dogs – a huntaway, a border collie cross, and two mini schnauzers. She’s also seen a bulldog from the other side of the fence and she did not seem too bothered by that. Poor Rik had a complete meltdown the first time she saw an unfamiliar dog (a pug, something that looked quite unlike anything she would have seen on the farm) and jumped onto the roof of the car! I am trying to manage interactions with other dogs very carefully to prevent bad experiences in her first few weeks at home, but so far she seems to be quite the social butterfly.
Bird Brains
Ruby is very, very, very interested in birds.
Continue reading “The Ruby Project Week 1: Birds on the Brain”